


Use Your Rolodex

by pennysparrow



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Justice League - All Media Types, Justice League of America (Comics), Zatanna (Comics)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Childhood Friends, Gen, Magic, do not copy to another site
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:28:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26783683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pennysparrow/pseuds/pennysparrow
Summary: Zatanna comes back to her hotel room after a show in Gotham to find the Dark Knight himself and she's not exactly pleased.
Relationships: Bruce Wayne & Zatanna Zatara
Comments: 6
Kudos: 27





	Use Your Rolodex

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trying to do a Halloweenish fic every day in October so this is day two! Because Zatanna plus Batman definitely equals Halloweenish. I'm accepting prompts on my tumblr at [thelittleredheadedmusician](https://thelittleredheadedmusician.tumblr.com/) or just pop by to say hi!

“No,” Zatanna said, staring down the figure lurking in her mirror.

“You don’t even know what I’m going to ask,” Batman said. Or more so grumbled. Batman didn’t whine, Bruce did or used to, but not Batman. If he did Zatanna would’ve categorized it as a whine.

“And I don’t really care.” She turned around, leaning against the dresser and leveling a hard look at the man in the shadows. “It’s called boundaries, Bruce.”

It’s hard to tell since she only flipped the one light by the door on and he was decidedly sulking in the shadows, but Zatanna thought that the pale corners of his mouth turned down further into a frown.

She put on a bright smile of her own, even if she’s tired and her cheeks hurt after a long show for a sold-out audience. “This is me,” Zatanna drew her hands up and pressed them to her collarbone theatrically, wrists and elbows jutting into angles, “setting boundaries.” She swept her hands between them. “Boundaries.”

Right now, Zatanna really wanted to flop onto the plush bed and go to sleep. Not even peel off her fishnets and pull out the Bobby pins to do so. The corset would go though, the corset would definitely have to come off. Instead she was stuck explaining healthy relationships to the most emotionally stunted man she knew. Which was saying something. Zatanna wasn’t exactly sure what it was, but the men who moved in the same occult circles as her tended to be emotionally stunted as a rule.

“I need your help,” Bruce pressed.

“I can’t,” Zatanna managed not to sound exasperated when she says it, for which she was very proud of herself.

“It’s for a case.”

“Then use the Rolodex in that cave of yours and find someone else. Rose just sent me a postcard from the Bahamas last month so she’s probably well rested and willing to help.” Her smile widened and she pressed her hands back into the dresser. Releasing some of her tension by gripping tightly at the wood, but letting it seem like a smooth and casual move. Everything’s a performance and the best magic was misdirection.

Batman didn’t so much as blink. “It’s a demon.”

“Well, John did recently acquire a phone though there are more reliable ways to contact him, which I know you know, or Jason Blood is always an option.” Zatanna couldn’t see his eyes but she could imagine them flashing, it made her grin wider. “It’s a bit overkill, but Doctor Fate is really easy to get a hold of, just call up the brownstone, and Hector is a sweetheart. Just a delight to work with. Nabu... less so. But Hector is just a gem.”

“I’d prefer to work with a member of the League,” he ground out. Zatanna could tell she was getting to him, both by his tone and his comment.

“Well I’m not a member anymore. Remember, I resigned? After the last favor I did for you,” her voice grew cold but Zatanna didn’t care. “I still have guilt ridden nightmares, Bruce.”

The shadowy figure seemed unfazed. Damn cowl.

“We’re friends,” he said it almost like a trump card.

Zatanna’s blood boiled. “Oh no,” she hissed and pushed off the dresser, “no no no. You do not get to pull the friend card. This is exactly what I meant by boundaries! _Friends_ don’t break into friends’ hotel rooms just to lurk in the dark in a bat suit and ask for a work favor. Friends call each other, meet for lunch and catch up. Their favors consist of being a plus one on a business trip to Milan or house sitting their giant house. Maybe ask to have the ghost in their library removed before one of their children discover it and have a panic attack. But they do not do this!”

Batman seemed stunned, maybe she’d managed to reach Bruce after all. Zatanna took a breath and a step back, a little embarrassed by the power crackling at her fingertips and the pounding of her heart.

Finally, he seemed to blink or something. “There’s a ghost in the library?”

“Seriously?” Zatanna exploded again, throwing her arms up in exasperation. She willed herself calm, closing her eyes and rubbing at her temples. When she opened them, Bruce had the good sense to seem embarrassed. And he’d come out of the corner.

“I’m sorry. It was wrong of me to ambush you like this, I’ll find someone else.” That was Bruce, the gruff voice was Batman but the tone, the words were Bruce. Her childhood friend.

“Thank you. I’ll be by the Manor for lunch tomorrow. Introduce you to your ghost,” she smirked.

There was a grunt. She took that as a yes.

“Ok now get out before I make you get out. I’m exhausted and you’re taxing.”

Sheepishly, Batman headed towards the door. Once she heard the click of the latch, Zatanna collapsed back against the dresser. Being friends with Bruce Wayne was exhausting. She would have to take something nice for Alfred tomorrow, he definitely deserved it.

**Author's Note:**

> I genuinely don't know where it's from but I really love the idea of Zee and Bruce being childhood friends? It's just a whole other layer to them and it's really fun. 
> 
> The ghost in the library is from another fic I wrote for a Batfam Halloween Content War a couple years ago.


End file.
